​Swimbaits

Swimbaits

Swimbaits are the more natural looking option to a spinnerbait and have there own place and time in our fishing day. There are tons of options in this arena ranging from 3" to 16" in size and many variations. They come in soft plastics as well as hard baits and some crazy variations in between as well from realistic looking trout and bream to rats with tails if you can dream it up you can probably find it. We are going to focus today on when and where to use them more than the varieties and what their importance is.

Hard bodied swimbaits kicked off this craze over in the California Delta though we did have some versions like the old Bagley's smaller look alike baits in the past. When they started using wood carved trout replicas in 10 and 12" sizes you started to see more and more options, such as natural looking bream baits in 3-4" versions and so on. These are great in calmer water situations were a spinnerbait just doesn't work as well because the bass gets a better view and fish spook away. The natural realism of the shape, size, and colorization tend to fool those fish that tend to be wary. They also seem to work better on bigger fish due to the size and realistic look. They can be purchased in floating, sinking, and suspending versions each having their own application but they are a very specific bait for very specific fisherman. This is not a go out and catch 100 fish a day bait but a go out and catch those right 3-5 kickers to win a tournament with. They also seem to work only on specific lakes and you mostly see them used in very specific situations.

Plastic swimbaits have really come into their own in the last few years and again come in tons of varieties, brands, sizes and styles. They come prerigged or can also be rigged in several styles and variations as well. They can be Texas rigged and pegged, swam on weighted hooks, fished on underspins and jigheads, and even thrown weightless. Also, they are a mainstay for A-rigs and come rigged on all kinds of jigheads. I am beginning to see these rigged on buzzbaits, chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, and swimjigs more and more as well. They can provide the extra bulk needed to slow a bait down or provide the larger profile for that kicker you are trying to catch and land for your tournament or to catch the fish of a lifetime. These baits come in 3-9" sizes and a wide variation of colors from standard plastics colors to very realistic and natural looking hues.

Another point of discussion is swimbait heads and there a lot of them out there. I have couple of personal favorites I use but each has there time and place. I use just a standard old round leadhead on an a-rig most of the time with great results. They are an inexpensive solution to an expensive rig. There are lots of specialized jigheads made from lead and tungsten and various shapes and forms made specific for particular brands of baits or uses. Most of those the sole purpose is to keep the bait running straight and to hook and bring in the bass. In dirtier water or heavy cover situations I like to use a swim jig head in an appropriate weight to penetrate cover or get the bait to the depth and speed I want it to run. It can also be used to give more bulk and profile to the swimbait as well. A hair jig has really come on to be popular in summer months rigged with a swimbait for suspending or schooling fish as well. Underspins are another popular rig as well and my personal favorite is the Shimmer Swimmer from Flatlands Custom Tackle in that I can run it in grass, cover, rocks and it is very snag proof due to the metal arm coming down that helps to deflect the bait off the cover. The Shimmer Swimmer is a great complement to our Swim Minnows in 3.5" and 5" sizes and can be deadly in certain situations. It comes in 4/0, 6/0, and 8/0 sizes they have a hook for about any plastic swimbait you can think of. I have had several requests on when and where to use this bait. I like underspins in clearer water situations with 18" or better of visibility in the water. I fish it anywhere I would a spinnerbait but maybe need something a little less boisterous, calmer less windy days clearer water that makes fish a little skittish of those big blades. Also, fishing suspended fish it can be used to countdown to the fish slowly rolling the bait through the school tempting those bass that are feeding on shad in the middle columns of the water table. Pumping a heavier versions off the bottoms like a jig or spoon can trigger some vicious strikes as well. So give it a try and would love to hear about your successes. I am hoping to film a video on it soon to show some of the versatility of the bait and where and how to use it so keep your eyes out for it and watch our facebook for updates as well.

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